ROCKFORD — Police have arrested one person in connection to one of the five homicides that have occurred in the city so far this year.

Rockford Police Deputy Chief Dave Hopkins said tips from the public are needed to solve the other four cases.

“Evidence is like money,” he said. “You can never have enough of it.”

The most recent homicide occurred the morning of March 15, when 21-year-old Achaiah Tyashay McGee was fatally stabbed in the chest with a steak knife outside of the Rockford Mass Transit District terminal at 520 Mulberry St., across the street from the Public Safety Building.

McGee, of Rockford, was pronounced dead at 10:39 a.m. March 15 at Rockford Memorial Hospital.

Jeanette Short, 28, of Rockford was arrested Saturday on a charge of aggravated battery before charges were upgraded Monday to include two counts of murder.

“They actually got into some type of physical altercation,” Hopkins said of the events leading up to the stabbing. “I believe they were acquainted.”

The Rockford Mass Transit District issued the following statement:

“First and foremost the RMTD wishes to extend its sympathies and condolences to the friends and family members of Achaiah Tyashay McGee who lost her life during an assault that occurred outside of RMTD’s Transit Center in downtown Rockford on Saturday, March 15. The RMTD is and remains committed to providing a safe and secure environment to its patrons and employees at every level within its organization. The RMTD is cooperating fully with the authorities who are investigating this tragic event.”

RMTD does have security guards, but officials declined to say whether security was present Saturday.

After an autopsy performed Monday confirmed the cause of death to be a stabbing, the Winnebago County State’s Attorney’s Office upgraded the charges. Short remains in the Winnebago County Jail on $1 million bond.

Hopkins said progress is being made by detectives in solving the other four cases.

“I’m cautiously optimistic,” he said. “They’re moving forward and will be solved.”

The other four homicides this year occurred:

Jan. 30: Nicholas Vitali, 29, of Rockford was stabbed multiple times and was found in the early morning hours lying in the street outside St. Anthony of Padua Parish near Ferguson and Kent streets. Police do not believe the church is connected to the killing.

Feb. 2: Anthony Smiley, 24, of Poplar Grove was one of two people shot early in the morning after a verbal altercation escalated into bloodshed in a parking lot in the 1000 block of Ninth Street where witnesses told police an “impromptu” party took place.

Feb. 21: Clifford Thomas, 56, of Rockford was found shortly after 4:15 a.m. outside a residence in the 2200 block of Mulberry Street. He died an hour later at Rockford Memorial Hospital.

An autopsy showed Thomas had been shot multiple times. Witnesses told police two assailants fled the area on foot. One was described as 5 feet 3 inches tall with a medium build and wearing either a black coat or tan Carhartt jacket.

March 9: Robert O’Hern, 46, of Rockford was shot multiple times, including once in the head. He was found about 8:30 a.m. lying in the north alleyway in the 3200 block of Parkside Avenue.

At this time last year, the city had two homicides en route to 22, three of which were auto-accident related.

If you have any information regarding any homicide investigation, call Rockford police at 815-987-5824 or Crime Stoppers at 815-963-7867.